Pneumatic action for musical instruments.



E. T. TURNEY.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY '1, 1909. 1 1 8,249 Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CONPHOTOILITHOU WASHINGTON. 11 C E. T. TURNEY. PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1909.

1,1 18,249, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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YHE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOraLlrua. wAsHlrm mu 1) r v UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIQE.

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTISTA PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. TURNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island. in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Actions for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact spec1- fication.

This invention relates to pneumatic actions for automatic piano players or other like instruments, and more particularly to that class which are adapted to be arranged in front of the piano action above the keys and within the piano case just behind the fall board or front, and it has for one of its objects to so improve and arrange the loca tion of some of the various passages of the pneumatic that the connection between the same and the tracker board may be made at a point on the pneumatic considerably farther toward the back than heretofore, so as not to necessitate any undue outward dis placement of the front or fall board for the accommodation of the pneumatic actions.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the controlling pneumatic and cheapen its cost of production.

With a view to the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of certain other objects which will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will first be fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings showing an exemplification of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of.

a part of the front of a piano case and the pneumatic actions embodying this in vention arranged therein. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of two of the pneumatic actions belonging to the upper and lowerseries respectively. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the controlling pneumatic partly in section in two different planes represented by the lines 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan. section on the line 44 Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is'a vertical transverse section of the controlling pneumatic on the line 55, Fig. 4. Fig. 6* is a vertical transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a similar section on line 7-7 of F ig. 4. I

l is the table or frame upon which the keys 2 are fulcrumed or supported, 3 is the wippen and 4. is the extension which is held by extension guide 5 in position to be engaged by the key 2, all these parts of the piano action being of the usual or any suitable construction. 6 is a part of the front of the piano case and 7 is the fall board, which also may be of the usual or any suit able construction, and between which and the piano action at a position above the keys 2 is arranged the pneumatic action which will now be described.

8, 9, are the wind trunks of the pneumatic action which are connected to pumpers or air exhausters in the usual or any suitable way, well understood in the art and not necessary to illustrate. These are arranged horizontally above the keys 2 and in front of the extensions I just behind the front part of the piano case, and each carries a plurality of main pneumatics 10, 11, usually secured to the under sides of the wind trunks, and each having suitable connection, such as shoes 12, 13 with one of the extensions 4, whereby the motion of the main pneumatic will actuate the piano action in the manner well understood in this art. The main pneumatics 10, 11 are usually considerably longer than the width of their respective wind trunks 8, 9, and project in front thereof toward the fall board of the piano case and on the front sides of the wind trunks are arranged the controlling pneumatics contained in valve housings or blocks 14, 15, these being situated immediately above the projecting ends of the main pneumatic.

I'Vith pneumatic actions of this type it has been custon'iary to connect the controlling pneumatic with the tracker-board usually employed, and understood but not shown, by means of flexible tubes 16, and the point of connection between these tubes and the controlling pneumatics has ordinarily been made at the front side of the controlling pneumatic where the interior passages of the controlling pneumatic are more accessible, but this arrangement not only obstructs the front of the pneumatic action, but increases the depth from front to back as a whole, making it necessary to set the fall board or front 6, 7 farther outward than would otherwise be required. In order to avoid this objection and to carry the point of connection between the tube 16 and the controlling pneumatic farther to the rear, the construction and arrangement which will now be described is resorted to.

The upper front side of each or" the wind trunks is provided with a passage 1'? extending horizontally through the front side of each of the wind trunks and communicating with the horizontal passage 18 in the top or the valve block or housing 1 or 15. Projecting through the top of the upper wind trunk 8 and communicating with the passage 17 is a short section of tubing 19 whereby the flexible tube 16 is put in communication with the passages 1?, 18. The valve housing 15 of the lower tier or series of controlling pneumatics is arranged to one side of the vertical plane of the other valve housing 14, as better shown in Fig. 2. the valve housings of the two series 1%, 15, thus alternating in position throughout the length of the wind trunks, and the passage 17 of the lower valve housing 15 is connected to its tube 16 by means or" a pipe or tube .20, which extends entirely through the wind trunk 8 so as to be in line with the tube 19, but communicates with the lower valve housing 15 only. By this means it will be seen that the connections 19, 20 for thetubes 16 are carried considerably to the rear, and the tubes 18 may be arranged conveniently behind the casing or frame which carries the tracker-board and record spools, the lower end of this casing or "frame being indicated at 21 in Fig. 1.

lVith-in each of the valve housing or blocks 1%, 15 are arranged the usual or any suitable valves and other devices for controlling the main pneumatic situated below, and so far as the features of the invention thus far described areconcerned. communication between the passage 17 and the controlling device of the controlling pneumatic may be established in any suitable way, but for the sake of economy of construction and greater eiiiciency in operation, the arrangement of passages which will now be described is preferred.

Each of the wind trunks is provided at its front side with a wall 22 of substantial thickness, and formed in this wall are two passages 24:, the former of which extends laterally entirely through the wall and communicates at one end with the wind trunk, and 'at the other end with passage 2-5 in the valve block or housing, while the other passage 24: communicates at its upper end with a passage 26 in the valve block or housing, and at its lower end with the main pneumatic, as shown in Fig. 6. The valve block or housing is recessed, and this recess is divided into three compartments, 27. 28, 29, by means of a diaphragm 30, partition 31, valve 32 and its valve seat 33, and valve 34.- and its seat 35. The chamber 27 is the diaphragm chamber and communicates through a port 36 with the passage 18, whereby the tube 16 is placed in communication with. the diaphragm chamber; the chamber 28 is in direct communication with the p-ssage and the chamber 29 cominunicates with the passage 2% by direct communication with passage 26. The valves 32, 3% are secured to a valve stem 37 and are so arranged relatively that when one is closed the other will be open. Consequently, when the valve 32 opens valve 3-9: closes communication with the external atmosphere and the main pneumatic is placed in communication with the wind trunk through the passage 2%, this action taking place, as is well understood, when the diaphragm chamber 27 is flooded through the tube and passages 17, 18 and 36, as the .L) record sheet admits atmospheric air to the tube 16 through the tracker-board in the usual way. The partition 31 is provided with a small bleedhole 38 which places the diaphragm chamber 27 in communication with the chamber and consequently, when the record sheet closes the inlet to the tube the pumpers exhaust the air from the diaphf' chamber 2( through this bleedhole the chamber 28, the passages 25, 23', and wind trunk communicating therewith, causing the diaphragm 30 to move into the chamber and press against a projecting end of valve stem 87 which protrudes through partition 31, thereby causing the valve 82 to resume its seat by virtue of the diil'erential areas of 30 and subjected to this partial vacuum at the same time open valve Set and admitting atmosphere to the main pneumatic to permit the latter to open or descend. 89 is a flexible tongue scoured to the side of diaphragm chamber 27 and arranged between the end of valve stem 37 and the diaphragm 30, but detached from the latter for the purpose of protecting the diaphragm from injury against the valve stem while lea ing the diaphragm tree and flexible.

The valve block or housing let, or 15, may be detachabl'y secured to the face of the wind trunk by screws 40, 41, or other suitable devices, whereby it may be readily re moved indeoendently of the main pneumatic, and any accumulation of dust or dirt or lint which may occur in the chamber 28 that might possibly interfere with the free passage of air through the bleed-hole 38 can be readily removed and the controlling penumatic replaced on the wind trunk, or a new one substituted therefor without interfering with any of the other parts, the air tight connection between the controlling pneumatic the wind trunk, main pneumatic and passages 17 being insured by a suitable packing 4C2 interposed between the inner face of the controlling pneumatic and the wind trunk. This also renders it unnecessary to detach the rubber tubes 16 from their pipe connections 19, 20 when the controlling pneumatic is removed, thus leaving such parts intact, and avoiding the possibility of breaking the rubber tubes, which is apt to occur after they have been in place on the pipes 19 any considerable time.

In order that the invention may be understood by those skilled in the art, the details of an exemplification thereof have been thus specifically described, but

What I claim is:

1. In a pneumatic action for automatic musical instruments. the combination of two wind trunks arranged one above the other, unit controlling pneumatics individually secured to said wind trunks respectively and communicating respectively with said wind trunks, main pneumatics for said controlling pneumatics respectively, mounted independently of said controlling pneumatics on said wind trunks and arranged in difierent vertical planes, each of said controlling pneumatics embodying a diaphragm chamber and a passage leading therefrom, a tracker-board connection with said passage of the upper one of said controlling pneumatics and independent of the respective controlling pneumatics, a tube passing through the wall of the upper wind trunk and communicating with the said passage of the lower pneumatic, and a tracker-board connection for the upper end of said tube.

2. In a pneumatic action for automatic musical instruments, the combination of two wind trunks arranged one above the other, individual controlling pneumatics communieating with said wind trunks, mounted on said wind trunks and detachable therefrom as units, independently mounted main pneumatics for said controlling pneumatics respectively arranged in diiferent vertical planes and communicating with the con trolling pneumatics, said controlling pneumatics embodying diaphragm chambers each associated with a passage leading through and to the top side of the upper one of said wind trunks, and tracker-board-connections independent of the respective controlling pneumatics and communicating with the last said passages respectively.

3. In a pneumatic action for automatic musical instruments, the combination of a wind trunk, a main pneumatic mounted therein, and a unitary controlling pneumatic detachably and independently mounted on said wind trunks embodying a diaphragm chamber adapted to be placed in communication with the tracker-board, a second chamber having bleedhole communication with the said diaphragm chamber and also communicating with the wind trunk, a third chamber communicating with the atmosphere and also directly with the said main pneumatic and with said second chamber, valves for closing communication between the third said chamber and the atmosphere and between the third said chamber and the second said chamber, and a diaphragm for controlling said valves.

4:. In a pneumatic action for automatic musical instruments, the combination of a wind trunk having a main pneumatic mounted thereon, and an independently mounted unit controlling pneumatic embodying a diaphragm chamber having a tracker-board passage, a second chamber, a partition constituting the dividing wall between said chambers having a bleed-hole connecting the diaphragm chamber directly with the second said chamber, a passage opening from said second chamber through the side of the controlling pneumatic and communieating with the wind trunk. a third chamber communicating with the second chamber, with the atmosphere and directly with said main pneumatic, valves for controlling said atmospheric communication and the communication between the second and third chambers, and a diaphragm for controlling said valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 30th day of April A. D. 1909.

EUGENE T. TURNEY.

Witnesses:

H. H. CLEAVELAND, C. A. LIITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

